There was no vigil for the hulking parking garage near Minneapolis City Hall and the Hennepin County Building — just a few skyway signs and advisories taped on doors.

Friday was the last full weekday for commuting office workers, courthouse visitors and other drivers to use the parking garage at 501 4th Av. S. in Minneapolis before it is demolished to make way for the city’s new public service building.

The 10-level ramp will close Saturday with demolition beginning Monday. Deconstruction is estimated to take about three months.

A new 11-story modern building will be built to consolidate 1,300 city workers and operations spread out in buildings across downtown. It is expected to open in the fall of 2020.

Night-and-day change

The ramp, which is directly across the street from the county jail, the courthouse and City Hall, has been a busy parking destination. According to property records, it was built in 1992.

The new building will be a night-and-day change for the block, which has been dominated by the dark garage. The outside of the 380,000-square-foot structure will be made up of modular, semi-reflective metal panels with glass cutouts. The street and second levels will be open to light with glass walls and open staircases as well as public spaces.

The skyway linking the Hennepin County Government Center to the ramp will close Monday and won’t open until the new building opens.

Bail Bonds Doctor, which had been on the first floor of the ramp, has moved to the first floor of the Government Center Parking Ramp directly behind it with its offices on the corner of 5th Street and 5th Avenue.

Nicole Norfleet covers commercial real estate along with professional services, including the Twin Cities' thriving marketing, accounting, and legal communities.